Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
Scott Strazzante/S.F. Chronicle
On the final day of the regular season, with a playoff spot on the line, Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr leaned on “Playoff Jimmy.”
And then Kerr leaned on Jimmy Butler again and again.
Butler played more than 48 minutes in Sunday’s 124-119 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He produced 30 points and nine assists, and played sturdy defense, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Warriors from falling into Tuesday night’s play-in game against Memphis.
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Kerr’s shortened rotation against the Clippers created more time on the court for his marquee players — not only Butler but also Brandin Podziemski (43-plus minutes), Draymond Green (38) and Stephen Curry (38). On the other end sat Jonathan Kuminga, who didn’t play at all.
Kuminga’s inactivity traces in part to Kerr’s trust in Butler, and his reluctance to play Butler and Kuminga together. Putting both on the floor simultaneously creates spacing issues (especially alongside Green), because opponents know neither of them is an especially effective 3-point shooter. Kuminga also appeared to frustrate coaches and teammates with his lack of court awareness in recent games.
Kuminga declined to speak to reporters Sunday. More than two hours after the game ended, he was on the main court at cleared-out Chase Center, hoisting jump shots.
“The test of a young player in this league, and especially with our team, is you never know when your moment will be there,” Curry said. “It wasn’t (Kuminga’s) time tonight, and against Memphis it could be a game where he makes his presence felt.”
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Another piece of this puzzle is Butler’s physical state. He took a knee to the thigh during overtime Sunday, leaving him limping. Butler insisted he would be “all right” after going home to rest, play dominoes and make coffee, but he also acknowledged the pain initially was significant.
“It hurt, but I’m not too worried,” he said. “I know I’ll be ready to go.”
Butler’s sparkling play in the final three games of the regular season illustrated why the Warriors traded for him in February. As they feverishly sought to secure a playoff spot, he scored 28 points against San Antonio, then 24 against Portland and the 30 against the Clippers.
His ability to draw fouls was also on display: 17 free-throw attempts, followed by 11 and nine. He went 33-for-37 from the line in those three games.
The Warriors ran their offense through Butler for much of Sunday’s taut affair, even when Curry was on the court. Butler committed only one turnover despite handling the ball so often.
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“Playoff Jimmy,” the whole idea of Butler raising his game when the stakes rise, is no myth. Now the Warriors need to actually make the playoffs.
“He’s an alpha,” Kerr said. “You don’t even have to run any offense, you can just throw him the ball and get spaced. What a luxury that is. This guy is a total stud.”
Or, as Green said of Butler, “You have a guy who can kind of slow down the pace of the game for us. Just having that extra weapon, another No. 1 (option) next to Steph, is different. It makes us a much better team, a more complete team.”
Butler’s arrival salvaged the Warriors’ season — they went 23-8 starting with his debut Feb. 8, to surge into the postseason picture. Still, as much as Sunday’s game showcased Butler at his best, it also offered a reminder of the ongoing quest to blend Kuminga with this reshaped roster.
Kuminga stitched together the best stretch of his young career in December and early January before a sprained ankle sidelined him for more than two months. He has struggled to find his groove since returning.
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That led to Sunday’s surprising DNP, his first (when healthy) all season.
“We just found a group we’re pretty comfortable with,” Kerr said. “Gui (Santos) didn’t play, either. He and JK have been impactful players for us. It doesn’t mean they’re out of the loop going forward.”
The Warriors might need Kuminga in less than 48 hours, when they grapple with the Grizzlies for the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Memphis ranked second in the NBA in rebounding this season (the Warriors tied for fifth), and the Clippers pounded Golden State on the glass (42-25).
Butler absorbed some blame for this — “I think my sorry ass had one rebound,” he said, accurately noting his total. So the Warriors must find a balance between relying on their veterans and taking advantage of Kuminga’s youth and bounciness.
Curry and Green, among others, have said the Warriors need Kuminga to truly reach their ceiling as a team.
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“JK can make his presence felt in the paint,” Curry said. “He’s had some games where he attacked the glass and made that a point of emphasis. If he’s out there, that’s a great way to make his presence felt.”
Reach Ron Kroichick: [email protected]; X: @ronkroichick
